ZIMBABWEAN rugby player Tapiwa Mafura has been linked with a big move to South African Rugby Union franchise Cheetahs as his stock continues to rise following a memorable season in the Varsity Cup competition.
BY SPORTS REPORTER
The 22-year-old exciting and versatile Leopards and North West University fullback capped off a memorable season with selection into the 2018 Varsity Cup Dream Team XV on Thursday.
According to the Bloemfontein-based radio station OFM, Mafura who, was last week named in Peter de Villiers’ Sables squad for the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifiers, is being considered as a replacement for Clayton Blommetjies.
“The player, who was rated as one of the top five players in the 2018 Varsity Cup and was also named in the tournament’s Dream Team on Thursday morning, is on the Cheetahs radar as a replacement for the Scarlets-bound Clayton Blommetjies,” OFM said on Friday.
“MJ Smith, who is involved with the contracting of players, confirmed that they are in talks with Mafura. however, it is not a done deal yet.”
Mafura was born in Hwange before moving to South Africa, where he attended Ermelo Christian School (Grade 3–7) and Ermelo High School in Mpumalanga.
He excelled in SA schools’ rugby starring in fly-half, wing and fullback before moving to fullback.
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Mafura’s big break came under the current Leopards and NWU Varsity Cup coach Jonathan Mokuena, who included him in the senior Leopards team for the SuperSport Rugby Challenge in 2017.
